IRWINDALE, CA—NDC Infrared Engineering has been awarded funding by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop new technologies that reduce industry’s reliance on radioactive isotopes. Under an EPA grant, the Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. (PSI) assisted the agency in initiating this project and soliciting proposals, and will help gain acceptance in the marketplace for the technologies through multi-stakeholder involvement. NDC was awarded approximately $150,000 for research and development. With the funding, NDC immediately will begin work on an x-ray technology to replace devices that use gamma and beta radiation in the plastics, pulp, and paper industries. Many of today's sensors and gauges use small amounts of radioactive materials, and although they are considered safe, they can cause environmental contamination and health dangers if damaged or disassembled. The PSI has been commissioned by the EPA to “identify and implement product stewardship solutions for devices containing radioactive materials . . . including fixed nuclear gauges.” Fixed nuclear gauges are used to monitor and measure parameters such as density, thickness and moisture content in a wide variety of plastics and other industrial applications. For more information, see ndcinfrared.com and productstewardship.us.